Most people with arthritis never need surgery. But when all else fails, surgery can dramatically improve independence and quality of life by reducing pain and improving mobility for those with advanced arthritis.

The doctor may recommend arthroscopic surgery, bone fusion (surgery in which bones in the joint are fused or joined together), or arthroplasty (also known as total joint replacement, in which the damaged joint is removed and replaced with an artificial one).

Arthroscopic surgery: Arthroscopy refers to any operation performed with an arthroscope, a very thin tube equipped with a light and a camera. An arthroscope enables surgeons to insert instruments through a tiny incision, guided by a miniature video camera. They may inject fluid into the knee to flush out debris and other irritants, or they may file away rough patches on the joint.

This operation is performed more than a half million times a year, but results of one trial cast doubt on whether this surgery actually has any benefit.

Researchers with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Baylor College of Medicine gave these operations to study volunteers, but they gave some study volunteers incisions without doing any actual surgery.

Surprisingly, the people who had surgery did not seem to fare any better than the people who didn't. After they had healed, they did not have any less pain. In fact, those who had no surgery reported slightly less long-term pain than those whose knees were supposedly repaired.

Bone fusion: In some cases, the best way to treat a joint may be to remove it altogether. Surgeons do this by connecting the two bones that meet at the joint. The fused joint is obviously no longer flexible, but it won't be painful either.

Ankles, wrists, and fingers can all be fused. Fused bones are also usually stronger than arthritic joints and can bear more weight.

Arthroplasty: When a joint becomes severely damaged by arthritis, joint replacement may be the best option. Today's artificial joints move like real joints and are less vulnerable to stiffness and pain. Doctors have long been replacing hips and knees with metal or plastic joints and getting excellent results. Patients today can also get brand-new elbow, shoulder, or knuckle joints.

Most new joints last for a decade or more, and if you're relatively young, you may need to have the joint replaced more than once.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 90 percent of total joint replacements are successful. Ten percent fail for various reasons, including infections, loosening of the joint, or, rarely, breakdown of the joint.

All information provided in this site is offered for educational purposes only, and it is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your own physician or healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.